Page 110 of From Now On

Maybe because I’ve never felt so safe.

Hunter makes a deep, sexy groan in the back of his throat when I start kissing him back. It vibrates on my tongue, sending shivers dancing down my spine as I press closer to him and seek out more contact.

My overwhelmed brain isn’t doing a great job of remembering any make-out tips. I give up quickly, attempting to mimic Hunter instead.

He’s anexcellentkisser. Right angle, perfect amount of tongue. When he tugs my lower lip between his teeth, I moan so loudly I shock myself.

What feels like a full smile curls against my lips, and I’m annoyed our mouths are so close I missed it.

His hands land on my hips, squeezing once. “Where’s your bedroom, Eve?”

“This—this way.” I break out of his light hold, stumbling down the hallway like I’m failing a sobriety test.

I am drunk. Just not on any substance. On him.

I’m still nervous.Verynervous. But it’s now mixed with an overdose of lust and anticipation, which is an intoxicating combination.

He kisses me again in my bedroom, and I stumble back against my dresser. Hard wood is literally the only reason I’m staying vertical.

“Mint’s good too,” he tells me when our lips separate for a necessary breath.

I’m blushing again, even though him tasting my mouth is no longer a hypothetical. His eyes dance as he looks at my red cheeks, more animated than I’ve ever seen them. Darkened with amusement and—I hope—arousal.

Our eyes hold for a few seconds, the entertainment in his slowing and then going still. “You’re sure you want to do this?”

He’s really asking. It’s not an empty offer. If I said no, I’m positive Hunter would walk away and never mention this night again.

But I don’t have to think about my answer. “I really want to do this.”

Hunter nods, something that looks remarkably like relief flashing across his handsome face before I’m spun around and tossed onto the comforter.Tossed. He picks me up like I weigh nothing and I land, sprawled on the soft mattress, a second later.

My heart is beating so fast I’m not even sure there are separate beats. It feels like one endless pulse pumping adrenaline through my body.

I’m still registering the sudden change in position when he tugs my sweatpants down. One firm yank, and they’re a ball of fabric on the floor.

I gasp when a gust of cooler air hits the wet spot on my underwear—lace isn’t known for its absorbance—and clamp my thighs together.

Hunter instantly hesitates.

I open my knees a few inches, gnawing on the inside of my cheek as a wave of self-consciousness swallows me. He can’t see everything, but he can seea lot, and spread out half naked in front of your crush is a very vulnerable position to be in.

Hunter swallows twice before speaking. He’s not touching me, just staring. “You still good?”

“Yeah. Good.” In a humiliating turn of events, my voice cracks. Right between theGoand theod, an abyss I wish I could disappear into. If he had any questions about my limited sexual experience, I think this is answering them. I clear my throat. “Just a little cold.”

“Cold, huh?”

Hunter’s hand lands on my bent knee, thumb tracing circles, and tiny shockwaves dance across the surface of my skin.

His palm slides higher. Higher.Higher, until he’s toying with the flimsy scrap of lace sitting on my right hip. He hooks it with one finger, then reverses course back down my thigh.

The left side hangs on for a few seconds, then slips too.

His jaw tightens when another wave of cool air hits wetness, letting me know I’m naked from the waist down. That’s his only reaction as he pulls my thong down to my toes, and I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.

The charged atmosphere between us crackles with a new intensity as my underwear join my sweatpants.

I should say something. LikeI showed you mine, now show me yoursorNeed me to talk you through it?Something teasing and sexy. But I’ve never beenthat girl. The one who always knows what to do or say. The one who’s seductive and smooth.

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